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Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography, Winner of the National Award for Best Book on Cinema, 2022
'Zindagi ek safar hai suhana...'
He was the most outrageous performer of the Hindi film screen - loved for his voice, adored for his comedy, and famous for his eccentricity. His big-screen performances - such as Half Ticket, Pyar Kiye Jaa, Padosan - could make you laugh hard, but his songs - like 'Koi humdum na raha', 'Badi sooni sooni hai', 'Ghungroo ki tarah' - could make you cry.
This is the story of the voice of a generation, the legend - Kishore Kumar. Beginning with his time spent in Khandwa, Bhagalpur and Indore and going on to Bombay where Kishore moved to try his luck in cinema, this new biography by Parthiv Dhar and Anirudha Bhattacharjee tells it all. A product of over thirty years of research, it goes beyond Kishore's nearly three thousand songs and his varied contributions to cinema, and reveals unknown facts about his four marriages, his run-ins with the government in the 1970s, and his health issues.
Kishore The Ultimate Biography celebrates the music, the films and the genius of Kishore in the most definitive way for a new generation of readers.
He was the most outrageous performer of the Hindi film screen - loved for his voice, adored for his comedy, and famous for his eccentricity. His big-screen performances - such as Half Ticket, Pyar Kiye Jaa, Padosan - could make you laugh hard, but his songs - like 'Koi humdum na raha', 'Badi sooni sooni hai', 'Ghungroo ki tarah' - could make you cry.
This is the story of the voice of a generation, the legend - Kishore Kumar. Beginning with his time spent in Khandwa, Bhagalpur and Indore and going on to Bombay where Kishore moved to try his luck in cinema, this new biography by Parthiv Dhar and Anirudha Bhattacharjee tells it all. A product of over thirty years of research, it goes beyond Kishore's nearly three thousand songs and his varied contributions to cinema, and reveals unknown facts about his four marriages, his run-ins with the government in the 1970s, and his health issues.
Kishore The Ultimate Biography celebrates the music, the films and the genius of Kishore in the most definitive way for a new generation of readers.
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
655 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 27, 2022
34 people are currently reading
119 people want to read
About the author
Anirudha Bhattacharjee
11 books23 followersNational Award & MAMI award winning author
Anirudha is a SAP consultant by profession and a musician by passion. A huge fan of Kishore Kumar, he loves revisiting football matches, films of Billy Wilder, Alfred Hitchcock, Satyajit Ray, Bimal Roy, Tarun Majumdar, Basu Chatterjee, Gulzar, et al, and a horde of comedies - from the awkwardly funny Crazy Boys series to childhood favourites featuring Terence Hill & Bud Spencer.
He writes only when he has a deadline.
A firm believer in original research, he abhors writing sourced from the net, which unfortunately has become the norm today. An active quizzer for over 30 years, he owes most of his knowledge to co-quizzers who have made him push the envelop from time to time. His partners in crime have been Amitava Chatterjee (Professor of Electrical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Calcutta) with whom he wrote a weekly column for The Statesman , Calcutta, in the early 1990s, and Balaji Vittal (VP - Concentrix), with whom he has authored three books.
His "R D Burman, the Man the Music" has won the National award for Best book on cinema in 2012.
His "Gaata Rahe Mera Dil", won the MAMI award in it's inaugural year, 2015.
He lives with his family in Bangalore, India
Anirudha is a SAP consultant by profession and a musician by passion. A huge fan of Kishore Kumar, he loves revisiting football matches, films of Billy Wilder, Alfred Hitchcock, Satyajit Ray, Bimal Roy, Tarun Majumdar, Basu Chatterjee, Gulzar, et al, and a horde of comedies - from the awkwardly funny Crazy Boys series to childhood favourites featuring Terence Hill & Bud Spencer.
He writes only when he has a deadline.
A firm believer in original research, he abhors writing sourced from the net, which unfortunately has become the norm today. An active quizzer for over 30 years, he owes most of his knowledge to co-quizzers who have made him push the envelop from time to time. His partners in crime have been Amitava Chatterjee (Professor of Electrical Engineering, Jadavpur University, Calcutta) with whom he wrote a weekly column for The Statesman , Calcutta, in the early 1990s, and Balaji Vittal (VP - Concentrix), with whom he has authored three books.
His "R D Burman, the Man the Music" has won the National award for Best book on cinema in 2012.
His "Gaata Rahe Mera Dil", won the MAMI award in it's inaugural year, 2015.
He lives with his family in Bangalore, India
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
January 7, 2026
Bhattacharjee and Dhar’s biography of Kishore Kumar is arranged in chronological order, and begins sometime in the 1800s. The authors start by tracing Kishore’s ancestors, focussing importantly on his father Kunjilal Gangoly. They recount Kunjilal’s early life, his marriage to Gouri Devi, and their life in Khandwa (in present-day Madhya Pradesh), where Kishore was born. There are some delightful anecdotes in this section of the book (one, involving the young Kishore and a maths test that he did not ace, is particularly hilarious). Not only do the authors show Kishore’s deep attachment to Khandwa and its people—several of them close friends of Kishore’s—they are also able to show how Kishore’s early years in Khandwa and his affection for his hometown affected his cinema. Kishore ‘Khandwawala’s ‘badhiya khaale karaari gajak’ is not just a random line.
Elder brother Ashok Kumar’s entry into Hindi cinema, and in the years following this success, Kishore’s own attempts to break through, are described. The late 40s and early 50s, when Kishore, despite having sung for cinema, found himself only getting work as an actor, rather than a singer, segue into Kishore’s rise as a singing star: an actor who could sing, and sing well enough to sing playback for others… and with him becoming the ‘voice’ for major stars like Rajesh Khanna, there was no looking back. Whether in Hindi cinema, or live shows, or even in Bengal, what with his films, his poojo albums and his (sadly all too occasional) singing for Satyajit Ray.
Interwoven with his career is Kishore’s personal life: his four marriages, with a special focus on the first two. The first marriage with Ruma Guha, which ended in divorce; and the second marriage with Madhubala, which ended in her tragic death. In this context, what touched me most was the account of Kishore’s relationship with Madhubala: the sense of loving care, the desperation, the inevitability. It made me also marvel at just how good an actress Madhubala was, how well able to disguise the fact that she was so ill. (Just after reading the chapter on Chalti ka Naam Gaadi, I watched Paanch rupaiyya baarah aana—which, by the way, has an interesting Khandwa story behind it—and was both saddened and amazed by how radiant and effortlessly glorious Madhubala looks in it).
All (almost all?) of Kishore’s films, both the ones he sang and/or acted in, as well as the ones he directed feature in this book, the more landmark films (Chalti ka Naam Gaadi, Padosan, Door Gagan ki Chhaon Mein, etc) discussed in detail—not so much the film itself, but its making, interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and so on. There are, too, the films that never got made, or sank without a trace, or were left only partly done.
It’s obvious that Dhar and Bhattacharjee have done a lot of hard work. The extensive end notes are nothing short of academic, and even if it wasn’t for that, the width and the depth of this book are proof enough. The angles from which Kishore is observed, the number of people (and their relationship with Kishore) whose words are quoted here: it’s clear that this is a labour of love.
And yet, it’s not hagiographic. Though it’s apparent that the authors admire Kishore immensely, they rarely go overboard with their praise. The overall picture one gets of Kishore is of an interestingly nuanced personality: a man who could be many things at once. Penny-pinching, or generous to a fault. Eccentric and uninhibited, or shy, even, of appearing onstage. Whacky, sensitive, a loyal friend, an infuriating (and refusing-to-be-co-operative) ‘adversary’.
That, really, is what I liked the most about this book: it does an excellent job of showing its readers who Kishore Kumar was. Not just the actor or the singer, but the man.
Was there something I didn’t like? Not really, though I do wish the editing had been marginally better.
Elder brother Ashok Kumar’s entry into Hindi cinema, and in the years following this success, Kishore’s own attempts to break through, are described. The late 40s and early 50s, when Kishore, despite having sung for cinema, found himself only getting work as an actor, rather than a singer, segue into Kishore’s rise as a singing star: an actor who could sing, and sing well enough to sing playback for others… and with him becoming the ‘voice’ for major stars like Rajesh Khanna, there was no looking back. Whether in Hindi cinema, or live shows, or even in Bengal, what with his films, his poojo albums and his (sadly all too occasional) singing for Satyajit Ray.
Interwoven with his career is Kishore’s personal life: his four marriages, with a special focus on the first two. The first marriage with Ruma Guha, which ended in divorce; and the second marriage with Madhubala, which ended in her tragic death. In this context, what touched me most was the account of Kishore’s relationship with Madhubala: the sense of loving care, the desperation, the inevitability. It made me also marvel at just how good an actress Madhubala was, how well able to disguise the fact that she was so ill. (Just after reading the chapter on Chalti ka Naam Gaadi, I watched Paanch rupaiyya baarah aana—which, by the way, has an interesting Khandwa story behind it—and was both saddened and amazed by how radiant and effortlessly glorious Madhubala looks in it).
All (almost all?) of Kishore’s films, both the ones he sang and/or acted in, as well as the ones he directed feature in this book, the more landmark films (Chalti ka Naam Gaadi, Padosan, Door Gagan ki Chhaon Mein, etc) discussed in detail—not so much the film itself, but its making, interesting behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and so on. There are, too, the films that never got made, or sank without a trace, or were left only partly done.
It’s obvious that Dhar and Bhattacharjee have done a lot of hard work. The extensive end notes are nothing short of academic, and even if it wasn’t for that, the width and the depth of this book are proof enough. The angles from which Kishore is observed, the number of people (and their relationship with Kishore) whose words are quoted here: it’s clear that this is a labour of love.
And yet, it’s not hagiographic. Though it’s apparent that the authors admire Kishore immensely, they rarely go overboard with their praise. The overall picture one gets of Kishore is of an interestingly nuanced personality: a man who could be many things at once. Penny-pinching, or generous to a fault. Eccentric and uninhibited, or shy, even, of appearing onstage. Whacky, sensitive, a loyal friend, an infuriating (and refusing-to-be-co-operative) ‘adversary’.
That, really, is what I liked the most about this book: it does an excellent job of showing its readers who Kishore Kumar was. Not just the actor or the singer, but the man.
Was there something I didn’t like? Not really, though I do wish the editing had been marginally better.
November 9, 2022
It is a simple yet worthy goal to attempt explaining Kishore Kumar’s nature. However, there is evidence that the author’s daily writing goals couldn’t possibly have been about explaining Kishore Kumar. One can sense a strong commitment to discern fact from opinion.
Let’s say you have humongous amount of notes in a cupboard about Kishore Kumar. So large is the collection that if every note was shrunk to a sentence, you would have at least a 500+ pages book put together seemingly effortlessly. Visiting the treasured notes by the authors must have been effortless because there is much love towards the preciously loved subject of choice.
When one leaves opinion making to the reader, biographers act in the greatest interest of the reader. So, what one has in this biography are no nonsense lines that draw a detailed character.
It is also an entire lifetime of the personality that is Kishore Kumar. It is a biography. It sets an example on how to write a biography. Good biographies are made like this. This is syllabus status, award winning kind of writing in the biography genre.
One can sense that there were hand written notes taken, there were snippets cut from magazines and while taking a break from the two there were Kishore Kumar’s songs sung. After some humming and singing by the authors, more notes were jotted.
To put all of it together chronologically, with each sentence showcasing an additional nuanced aspect of Kishoreda, is no ordinary task. Of course, as a result, I have felt like my greatest interest as the reader has been served fully. Each sentence packs so much about the man that it does make for the ultimate kind of biography.
This is a magnificent book. It is an example in biography writing. I am willing to bet that this book is going to make it as syllabus in film schools. Congratulations to the authors! Wishing you many more. And a big thank you, with all my heart, for Kishore Kumar: the ultimate biography.
Let’s say you have humongous amount of notes in a cupboard about Kishore Kumar. So large is the collection that if every note was shrunk to a sentence, you would have at least a 500+ pages book put together seemingly effortlessly. Visiting the treasured notes by the authors must have been effortless because there is much love towards the preciously loved subject of choice.
When one leaves opinion making to the reader, biographers act in the greatest interest of the reader. So, what one has in this biography are no nonsense lines that draw a detailed character.
It is also an entire lifetime of the personality that is Kishore Kumar. It is a biography. It sets an example on how to write a biography. Good biographies are made like this. This is syllabus status, award winning kind of writing in the biography genre.
One can sense that there were hand written notes taken, there were snippets cut from magazines and while taking a break from the two there were Kishore Kumar’s songs sung. After some humming and singing by the authors, more notes were jotted.
To put all of it together chronologically, with each sentence showcasing an additional nuanced aspect of Kishoreda, is no ordinary task. Of course, as a result, I have felt like my greatest interest as the reader has been served fully. Each sentence packs so much about the man that it does make for the ultimate kind of biography.
This is a magnificent book. It is an example in biography writing. I am willing to bet that this book is going to make it as syllabus in film schools. Congratulations to the authors! Wishing you many more. And a big thank you, with all my heart, for Kishore Kumar: the ultimate biography.
November 17, 2022
well researched. Our KK chewed icecubes to settle his throat! Maverick even in that lil detail.
I used to think his 'sharbati teri ankhon' sounded like a casual love song, not his usual heartfelt song. Turns out he intentionally sung it flippant as it's picturised on the villain who is faking his love. Woah - left speechless at his genius in rendering pitch perfect emotions.
I used to think his 'sharbati teri ankhon' sounded like a casual love song, not his usual heartfelt song. Turns out he intentionally sung it flippant as it's picturised on the villain who is faking his love. Woah - left speechless at his genius in rendering pitch perfect emotions.
November 30, 2022
Chronicling the life of a genius accurately is a task fraught with great risks. Most often, the book either fails to bring to life the greatness of the individual or in attempting to do so, goes so overboard that it doesn't remain true to his or her legacy. The authors of this book must be complimented for attempting and succeeding in providing a detailed yet unbiased account of the life of Kishore Kumar. People today and for generations to come will probably remember him as arguably the best playback singer to lend his voice to songs on the silver screen. But he was so much more than just a playback singer and this book has more than succeeded in bringing to light the sheer genius that was Kishoreda. It has delved deep into his background and tried to decode the method behind his famous madness. The book is full of interesting anecdotes and facts that must be rarely quoted even in diehard fan circles. The period where he struggled for acceptance as a singer, yet flourished as an actor to the extent that he was mentioned once in the same breath as Raj Kapoor and Dev Anand, has been dealt with in great detail. This is one book whose time has been long past for a society which is traditionally lackluster in maintaining records of its legends. If I were to mention a slight disappointment with this book, it was that it ended a bit too hurriedly in my opinion. The period where he soared as a singer could have been dealt with more elaborately. Perhaps those stories are too well-known and the authors wanted to bring to light those aspects which often escape common notice. Or perhaps, it was just greed on my part to go on reading about the only true multifaceted genius the Hindi film industry has produced. A huge shout out to the authors for this essential book.
December 5, 2022
This book calls itself the ‘ultimate’ biography. The book is thorough enough to justify that claim. It is almost an encyclopaedia of Kishore Kumar’s movies and songs. There is so much detail in the book. In the end, that is the only weakness of the book - too much detail about the movies and less about the man himself.
January 22, 2023
If you are a Kishore Fan then this is a must read. It deep dive below the surface and tells you about Kishore- the child, the youth, the man, the husband, the father and finally the Artist - singer , actor, producer.
A finely researched book with many a anecdote that will stay with you. A poignant handling of the subject and very insightful.
The book could have been better but it’s too much research and what to do with the information proves to be its undoing at times.
Go for it fellow readers
A finely researched book with many a anecdote that will stay with you. A poignant handling of the subject and very insightful.
The book could have been better but it’s too much research and what to do with the information proves to be its undoing at times.
Go for it fellow readers
October 5, 2024
This was an excellent biography of Kishore Kumar. Quite a few episodes of his life and songs and films that I did not know. So much was lost because of lack of proper preservation in those days.. A must-read book for Hindi-Bangla film aficionados..
January 29, 2023
I wonder how come this book has such low numbers for ratings and reviews. Maybe with time, more people are going to read it. This was wonderful and reminded me once again how much I love his voice as I read the book and watched the photos in the book like you are supposed to I started watching the songs on youtube and not only his songs but also of Mohd. Rafi as well. And I was once again reminded how much I loved these songs but along with the songs I also got to appreciate the acting and expressions of the actors. This was strange to learn that the silky voice of one of the greatest singers ever wasn't appreciated for close to 20 years. And politics has always been shitty and politicians the less said about them the better. So I love Mr. Kishore Kumar, the actor the singer, and an all-around great performer but above all a human being. So with that I would love if you also pick up the book to read and then keep on reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put, I absolutely love reading, so I have made it my motto to Forever Keep on Reading. I love reading everything except for Self Help books, even occasionally. I read almost all the genres but YA, Fantasy, and Biographies are the most read. My favorite series is Harry Potter, but then there are many more books I adore. I have bookcases filled with books that are waiting to be read so I can't stay and spend more time on this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
People who don't read generally ask me my reasons for reading. Simply put, I absolutely love reading, so I have made it my motto to Forever Keep on Reading. I love reading everything except for Self Help books, even occasionally. I read almost all the genres but YA, Fantasy, and Biographies are the most read. My favorite series is Harry Potter, but then there are many more books I adore. I have bookcases filled with books that are waiting to be read so I can't stay and spend more time on this review, so remember I loved reading this and love reading more, you should also read what you love and then just Keep on Reading.
December 8, 2022
Gulped down the book in two days. It is not just a series of events depicted in words about the life of a genius, but one can visualize the happenings vividly and progressively right in front of their eyes from the dawn (30's) till the dusk ('87). The book unlike most others does not dwell in the song lists and regurgitation, rather presents in a unique & profound way the backdrop and on the screen vicissitudes of the maverick's professional and personal life, through various rarely documented facts,figures, anecdotes, trivia and horses' mouth interactions, most of which have not seen the light of the day till this book surfaced to unearth most of them.
The amount of travel, travail and extensive research work done by Parthiv Da & Anirudha Da to achieve this milestone is highly commendable. Locating & interviewing Kishore Kumar's old school, college & Khandwa mates, principal & teachers, shopkeepers of his favorite food junctures, his co workers and other minor and major stalwarts whom he was involved with and out of which most of whom either cease to exist or had long faded into oblivion, was a herculean task, properly & prettily put to justice. The reader is kept engrossed with its immediacy till the very end, leaving a long lasting impression, yet longing for more, imbuing not only the Kishore fanatics but the ones who are yet to be..
The amount of travel, travail and extensive research work done by Parthiv Da & Anirudha Da to achieve this milestone is highly commendable. Locating & interviewing Kishore Kumar's old school, college & Khandwa mates, principal & teachers, shopkeepers of his favorite food junctures, his co workers and other minor and major stalwarts whom he was involved with and out of which most of whom either cease to exist or had long faded into oblivion, was a herculean task, properly & prettily put to justice. The reader is kept engrossed with its immediacy till the very end, leaving a long lasting impression, yet longing for more, imbuing not only the Kishore fanatics but the ones who are yet to be..
December 11, 2022
Total recall of the life and events of the most loved entertainer in Indian cinema who will never fade and never wither with time.
February 13, 2024
The story of this eccentric genius is fascinating ..my only problem was it did not discuss enough of his songs !
December 6, 2022
The book does not do justice to one of the best singers and the most versatile characters from Bollywood. It is more about his antics discussed in the most flippant manner. There is an overemphasis about his Bengali connection – his shows, films, songs (not surprising, since the authors are fellow Bengalis).
Kishore Kumar's wonderful songs from Teen Deviyan, Johnny Mera Naam and other classics are mentioned in passing. The flow of the narrative is very confusing – there are needless repetitions and unexplained gaps and the progress is not linear. And what do the authors mean by
Disappointing!
Kishore Kumar's wonderful songs from Teen Deviyan, Johnny Mera Naam and other classics are mentioned in passing. The flow of the narrative is very confusing – there are needless repetitions and unexplained gaps and the progress is not linear. And what do the authors mean by
severe comaThere is a paucity of good photographs – no photos with his wives, amazingly! No photos of him receiving awards; not a single colour photograph. Poorly executed sketches litter the narrative.
and
I went inside and saw that a nerve was almost sticking out of his head, near the temple. He was having a bad headache too?
Disappointing!
January 29, 2023
By now, the readers must have been used to the narrative styles of Anirudha Bhattacharya and his coauthor, if they have read the previous biographies they have authored - R. D. Burman: The Man, The Music and SD Burman: The Prince Musician. This book is not different from that style even though in this book Anirudha has a new coauthor. This narrative style works great for biographies.
There was a Kishore Kumar biography Kishore Kumar: The Definitive Biography by Kishore Valicha which I had read 15-20 years back. I found the current book is much more well researched, especially for Kishore Kumar's early life. It's a treasure trove of information, though for lifelong Kishore aficionados like us one cannot but feel a bit disappointed after finishing the the book feeling that we could easily consume another hundred pages.
My personal disappointment is lack of chapters on relationship with some senior and contemporary singers and music directors in more detail. Even the chapter on the relationship between Kishore and RD is too thin.
There may be enough material in authors' possession for a sequel.
There was a Kishore Kumar biography Kishore Kumar: The Definitive Biography by Kishore Valicha which I had read 15-20 years back. I found the current book is much more well researched, especially for Kishore Kumar's early life. It's a treasure trove of information, though for lifelong Kishore aficionados like us one cannot but feel a bit disappointed after finishing the the book feeling that we could easily consume another hundred pages.
My personal disappointment is lack of chapters on relationship with some senior and contemporary singers and music directors in more detail. Even the chapter on the relationship between Kishore and RD is too thin.
There may be enough material in authors' possession for a sequel.
May 29, 2023
First of all, I must admit that despite being a huge fan of the phenomenon called Kishore Kumar and sharing my birthplace with him, I did not know much about him, apart from his brilliant music. That proud feeling when you share your place of birth with a legend and read so much about it in his biography… This extremely well-researched and beautifully written book is an absolute treasure trove of information for me and every die-hard fan of Kishore Kumar. I immensely enjoyed it and learned so many things that I did not know about this ultimate legend. Although I felt that there should have been more information on his life and career during the 1980s which is less detailed as compared to the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. It was also a bit disheartening to see that two of his very popular songs, his first ever Marathi song ‘Ashwini Ye Na’ from the film Gamat Jamat (1987) and his Bangla song ‘Chirodini’ from the film Amar Sangi (1986) were not mentioned in the chapter The Mid-1980s. However, some of the things that I was the most curious to know were his marriage with Madhubala and the ban that was imposed on him during the emergency, and the authors have done a commendable job, bringing out the facts. Overall, this is the best biography as well as the best book I have read so far. A big thank you to the authors of Kishore Kumar : The Ultimate Biography, which is 100% true to its name! I highly recommend this book to every fan of Kishore Kumar.
August 4, 2025
Every now and then, a book walks in like a well-loved melody—unexpectedly familiar, hauntingly beautiful, and impossible to forget. Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography by Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar is that book.
On the surface, it is a mammoth biography of India’s most eccentric musical genius, but dig deeper and it reveals itself as a portrait of creative lunacy and soulful longing stitched into the larger-than-life frame of a man called Abhas Kumar Ganguly.
Born on August 4, 1929, in Khandwa, Kishore Kumar lived—and performed—like a cosmic accident. The biography is a triumph not only of deep research but of emotional fidelity. Over 30 years in the making, this 592-page tome is packed with rare interviews, archival photos, wild anecdotes, and more than a few well-placed myth-busters. It's as if the authors tuned into the same frequency as Kishore's voice—effortless, playful, and deeply moving.
The first part of the book traces the boyhood of Kishore—born in a Bengali family, mimicking KL Saigal, annoying teachers, and being a hopeless romantic even before puberty.
The book devotes genuine care to Kishore’s roots in Khandwa, a detail often blurred in typical Mumbai-centric tellings. Khandwa wasn’t just a birthplace—it was his moksha bhoomi, the quiet corner of the world he longed to return to. This theme of longing vs. obligation—Khandwa vs. Bombay—haunts the biography like a sitar string that never stops vibrating.
When Kishore arrived in Bombay in the 1940s, he didn’t chase stardom—it stumbled into him. Ziddi (1948) was the launchpad, but Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, and later, Amitabh Bachchan would become the launching satellites that helped his voice orbit every household in India. The authors chart this rise with such granular attention; it’s almost like reading a behind-the-microphone history of Hindi cinema.
His partnership with S. D. Burman? Alchemy.
His voice for Rajesh Khanna? Electric.
His banter with R. D. Burman? Pure jazz.
But what’s more interesting is how Kishore adapted—moulded himself around the actors, reshaped his tonality, and inserted pauses, chuckles, and sighs like punctuation marks in a love letter.
The biography doesn’t just tell you this—it shows you how, with examples and background tales that make even the most casual reader nod in admiration.
Singer? Sure.
Actor? Reluctantly.
Director? Briefly.
Eccentric? Undeniably.
The book does not gloss over Kishore’s quirks—in fact, it celebrates them. From demanding producers show up in Halloween-like costumes before he agreed to a contract, to digging trenches in his garden to avoid income tax raids, to disappearing from sets mid-shoot to talk to trees—his antics were legendary. And yet, the authors refuse to reduce him to a caricature.
This is a man who never wanted to act but kept doing it because the money helped him fund his music and his solitude. A man who married four times, fought with the system, yet stayed disarmingly apolitical and naïvely honest.
One of the most poignant revelations is the truth behind his so-called rivalry with Mohammed Rafi. Turns out, it was a construct of gossip columns. The book unpacks this like a detective solving a noir case—with clarity and tenderness.
Reading this book feels like being in a green room of memories—Kishore’s laughter echoing from the walls, stories of heartbreak and studio failures scattered across the floor, and a reel of his greatest hits playing in the background.
There’s something for every kind of reader here: the music nerd, the nostalgia junkie, the cinephile, and the biographical purist.
The emotional peak? Perhaps the chapter detailing his final days—his unease, the tarot card warning he received years before, and the moment he collapsed in his house, marking an end to an era on 13 October 1987. It’s written with such restraint that you might tear up without quite knowing why.
What makes this book an ultimate biography is not just its scale or sourcing—it’s the texture. It captures not just what Kishore did, but what he meant. It doesn’t shy away from contradictions—his generosity and stinginess, his spontaneity and calculated genius, his public madness and private pain. Like his songs, the book swings from comic to tragic, breezy to melancholic, never staying in one mood too long.
You don’t just read this book. You hear it, hum along, laugh with it, and sometimes, unexpectedly, you weep.
Whether you’re a fan or just music-curious, this is a book to feel your way through.
And if you close your eyes after the last page, you might just hear him again—
“Zindagi ek safar hai suhana...”
And what a ride it was.
Today is the 4th of August. Happy birthday, legend.
On the surface, it is a mammoth biography of India’s most eccentric musical genius, but dig deeper and it reveals itself as a portrait of creative lunacy and soulful longing stitched into the larger-than-life frame of a man called Abhas Kumar Ganguly.
Born on August 4, 1929, in Khandwa, Kishore Kumar lived—and performed—like a cosmic accident. The biography is a triumph not only of deep research but of emotional fidelity. Over 30 years in the making, this 592-page tome is packed with rare interviews, archival photos, wild anecdotes, and more than a few well-placed myth-busters. It's as if the authors tuned into the same frequency as Kishore's voice—effortless, playful, and deeply moving.
The first part of the book traces the boyhood of Kishore—born in a Bengali family, mimicking KL Saigal, annoying teachers, and being a hopeless romantic even before puberty.
The book devotes genuine care to Kishore’s roots in Khandwa, a detail often blurred in typical Mumbai-centric tellings. Khandwa wasn’t just a birthplace—it was his moksha bhoomi, the quiet corner of the world he longed to return to. This theme of longing vs. obligation—Khandwa vs. Bombay—haunts the biography like a sitar string that never stops vibrating.
When Kishore arrived in Bombay in the 1940s, he didn’t chase stardom—it stumbled into him. Ziddi (1948) was the launchpad, but Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, and later, Amitabh Bachchan would become the launching satellites that helped his voice orbit every household in India. The authors chart this rise with such granular attention; it’s almost like reading a behind-the-microphone history of Hindi cinema.
His partnership with S. D. Burman? Alchemy.
His voice for Rajesh Khanna? Electric.
His banter with R. D. Burman? Pure jazz.
But what’s more interesting is how Kishore adapted—moulded himself around the actors, reshaped his tonality, and inserted pauses, chuckles, and sighs like punctuation marks in a love letter.
The biography doesn’t just tell you this—it shows you how, with examples and background tales that make even the most casual reader nod in admiration.
Singer? Sure.
Actor? Reluctantly.
Director? Briefly.
Eccentric? Undeniably.
The book does not gloss over Kishore’s quirks—in fact, it celebrates them. From demanding producers show up in Halloween-like costumes before he agreed to a contract, to digging trenches in his garden to avoid income tax raids, to disappearing from sets mid-shoot to talk to trees—his antics were legendary. And yet, the authors refuse to reduce him to a caricature.
This is a man who never wanted to act but kept doing it because the money helped him fund his music and his solitude. A man who married four times, fought with the system, yet stayed disarmingly apolitical and naïvely honest.
One of the most poignant revelations is the truth behind his so-called rivalry with Mohammed Rafi. Turns out, it was a construct of gossip columns. The book unpacks this like a detective solving a noir case—with clarity and tenderness.
Reading this book feels like being in a green room of memories—Kishore’s laughter echoing from the walls, stories of heartbreak and studio failures scattered across the floor, and a reel of his greatest hits playing in the background.
There’s something for every kind of reader here: the music nerd, the nostalgia junkie, the cinephile, and the biographical purist.
The emotional peak? Perhaps the chapter detailing his final days—his unease, the tarot card warning he received years before, and the moment he collapsed in his house, marking an end to an era on 13 October 1987. It’s written with such restraint that you might tear up without quite knowing why.
What makes this book an ultimate biography is not just its scale or sourcing—it’s the texture. It captures not just what Kishore did, but what he meant. It doesn’t shy away from contradictions—his generosity and stinginess, his spontaneity and calculated genius, his public madness and private pain. Like his songs, the book swings from comic to tragic, breezy to melancholic, never staying in one mood too long.
You don’t just read this book. You hear it, hum along, laugh with it, and sometimes, unexpectedly, you weep.
Whether you’re a fan or just music-curious, this is a book to feel your way through.
And if you close your eyes after the last page, you might just hear him again—
“Zindagi ek safar hai suhana...”
And what a ride it was.
Today is the 4th of August. Happy birthday, legend.
October 12, 2025
When I picked up Kishore Kumar: The Ultimate Biography, I was ready for a long, affectionate deep-dive — and that’s exactly what the authors deliver. From the first chapters on Kishore’s childhood in Khandwa and Indore to his dizzying creative peaks in Bombay, the book reads like a carefully assembled portrait of a restless, brilliant, often maddening artist.
Structure & scope
The biography is expansive — almost encyclopaedic — moving chronologically but stopping often to explore movies, songs, collaborations and the cultural moment that shaped them. The authors don’t only list credits; they contextualize moments (such as Kishore’s tussles with the film industry and the Emergency era) so you understand how his choices fit into a larger story. It’s a long read (roughly 590–600 pages in most editions), and you feel the weight of that research on every page.
What I loved most
What won me over was the book’s generosity with anecdotes and archival detail. Little incidents — quirky studio demands, offbeat mimicry, his yodelling, the way he could flip from comic actor to serious performer — are not just entertaining; they illuminate why Kishore worked the way he did. The chapters about his relationships with composers (S.D. Burman, R.D. Burman) and stars (the Rajesh Khanna era) gave me fresh appreciation for how central his voice became to the era’s cinematic mood.
What felt heavy / where it tests the reader
The book’s thoroughness is also its occasional burden. There are stretches where the sheer volume of trivia, session-by-session notes and film minutiae can slow the narrative momentum. If you prefer a lean, interpretive biography that spends more time theorizing a subject’s cultural impact than documenting each step, this might feel dense at times. I don’t think that density is a flaw — it’s a choice — but it does demand patience.
On research, balance and tone
The authors wear their scholarship lightly: they compile interviews, contemporaneous reporting and studio records and present contradictions rather than smoothing them over. That honest, sometimes forensic approach results in a balanced portrait — Kishore’s genius and charm sit beside accounts of his volatility and private struggles. For me that candidness made the book feel trustworthy rather than hagiographic.
Favourite sections
A few sections stuck with me: the passages on his early struggle to find his voice in Bombay, the stories from his comic films (which remind you he was as much an actor as a singer), and the material about how he resisted certain commercial pressures during the Emergency. Those chapters reveal a man who could be irreverent in public and intensely private in life — which, again and again, made his work unpredictable and alive.
Final verdict — who should read it
If you’re a fan of Kishore Kumar, a student of Hindi film music, or someone who enjoys deeply researched cultural biographies, this is a book you’ll treasure. If you want a short, thematic interpretation of Kishore’s life, you may prefer a shorter essay — but you’d miss the archival richness this book offers. For me, it’s a rewarding, occasionally demanding tribute that left me with a clearer sense of why Kishore’s voice still rings through Indian cinema.
Structure & scope
The biography is expansive — almost encyclopaedic — moving chronologically but stopping often to explore movies, songs, collaborations and the cultural moment that shaped them. The authors don’t only list credits; they contextualize moments (such as Kishore’s tussles with the film industry and the Emergency era) so you understand how his choices fit into a larger story. It’s a long read (roughly 590–600 pages in most editions), and you feel the weight of that research on every page.
What I loved most
What won me over was the book’s generosity with anecdotes and archival detail. Little incidents — quirky studio demands, offbeat mimicry, his yodelling, the way he could flip from comic actor to serious performer — are not just entertaining; they illuminate why Kishore worked the way he did. The chapters about his relationships with composers (S.D. Burman, R.D. Burman) and stars (the Rajesh Khanna era) gave me fresh appreciation for how central his voice became to the era’s cinematic mood.
What felt heavy / where it tests the reader
The book’s thoroughness is also its occasional burden. There are stretches where the sheer volume of trivia, session-by-session notes and film minutiae can slow the narrative momentum. If you prefer a lean, interpretive biography that spends more time theorizing a subject’s cultural impact than documenting each step, this might feel dense at times. I don’t think that density is a flaw — it’s a choice — but it does demand patience.
On research, balance and tone
The authors wear their scholarship lightly: they compile interviews, contemporaneous reporting and studio records and present contradictions rather than smoothing them over. That honest, sometimes forensic approach results in a balanced portrait — Kishore’s genius and charm sit beside accounts of his volatility and private struggles. For me that candidness made the book feel trustworthy rather than hagiographic.
Favourite sections
A few sections stuck with me: the passages on his early struggle to find his voice in Bombay, the stories from his comic films (which remind you he was as much an actor as a singer), and the material about how he resisted certain commercial pressures during the Emergency. Those chapters reveal a man who could be irreverent in public and intensely private in life — which, again and again, made his work unpredictable and alive.
Final verdict — who should read it
If you’re a fan of Kishore Kumar, a student of Hindi film music, or someone who enjoys deeply researched cultural biographies, this is a book you’ll treasure. If you want a short, thematic interpretation of Kishore’s life, you may prefer a shorter essay — but you’d miss the archival richness this book offers. For me, it’s a rewarding, occasionally demanding tribute that left me with a clearer sense of why Kishore’s voice still rings through Indian cinema.
March 16, 2025
Well, looks like it is difficult and moreover unfair to have this book reviewed. The relatability (or likability) of this book is heavily influenced by who is reading this one - by who, what I mean is which generation is reading this one.
Being a millennial, Kishor Kumar wasn’t a living legend so to say, but the contemporary music scene back then was heavily hailing him as one of the greatest legends ever born on music (right next to Rafi and Mukesh). But that was it, our generation knew the music and sound behind- not the person.
When you read any biography, it hits you very differently when you have lived that era with that artist.
Coming back to this particular book, the duo writers stay in the decade fifties & sixties for a good more than half of the 500 paged book. Now, most of the names the songs and the contemporaries of that time seemed alien to anyone who is/was born post 1990s or so - completely a different era. The dynamics of the Indian film industry at time too fail to make any sense. We know few big names from the book who come and go as Kishor’s life advances but there is no impact as a reader or no goosebump moment.
The opening sequence and the last 50 odd pages of the book are promising. Huge respect for Kishor Kumar to have stood against the Govt (the emergency times) and not give in to the pressure - a trait that is completely lost in the current times.
Nonetheless, it is evident that for a person of the caliber like Kishor da, it was a life that was not just eventful but probably sad and lonely for the most part of it towards his later half. This yet again proves that the silver screen image or the PR managed image of these legends do not represent the actual state of their lives.
I can imagine this is a fantastic record of Kishor da’s life and times for a generation one-up as of mine. Gen Z can skip this until a biopic is made for easy consumption. Not that I am discouraging anyone to read and understand our artist legends better but the way this particular book is structured- it may not strike a chord, which actually should be the intent. Nobody wants to read a collection of 500 paged newspaper cuttings.
Being a millennial, Kishor Kumar wasn’t a living legend so to say, but the contemporary music scene back then was heavily hailing him as one of the greatest legends ever born on music (right next to Rafi and Mukesh). But that was it, our generation knew the music and sound behind- not the person.
When you read any biography, it hits you very differently when you have lived that era with that artist.
Coming back to this particular book, the duo writers stay in the decade fifties & sixties for a good more than half of the 500 paged book. Now, most of the names the songs and the contemporaries of that time seemed alien to anyone who is/was born post 1990s or so - completely a different era. The dynamics of the Indian film industry at time too fail to make any sense. We know few big names from the book who come and go as Kishor’s life advances but there is no impact as a reader or no goosebump moment.
The opening sequence and the last 50 odd pages of the book are promising. Huge respect for Kishor Kumar to have stood against the Govt (the emergency times) and not give in to the pressure - a trait that is completely lost in the current times.
Nonetheless, it is evident that for a person of the caliber like Kishor da, it was a life that was not just eventful but probably sad and lonely for the most part of it towards his later half. This yet again proves that the silver screen image or the PR managed image of these legends do not represent the actual state of their lives.
I can imagine this is a fantastic record of Kishor da’s life and times for a generation one-up as of mine. Gen Z can skip this until a biopic is made for easy consumption. Not that I am discouraging anyone to read and understand our artist legends better but the way this particular book is structured- it may not strike a chord, which actually should be the intent. Nobody wants to read a collection of 500 paged newspaper cuttings.
January 31, 2023
One cannot but appreciate the authors’ efforts that spread over a decade in bringing out the book. They have done a commendable job in fleshing out several unheard facts about Kishoreji. Being very knowledgeable about classical music, they throw light on how certain songs were composed and how Kishoreji did an excellent job in delivering them. This even dispels the wrong notions about Kishore’s lack of command over classical music. Here's an excerpt from the book.
P:344
“On the day of the (Ek Chatur naar) recording, I (Manna dey) was stumped by the proceedings. I was singing from the angle of a singer while Kishore had captured the spirit of the situation. From the heart, he changed the entire complexion of the song. I have thus no hesitation in admitting his genius.”
The only thing I felt missing in the book is a separate chapter on Amitabh Bachchanji and several chartbusters Kishoreji had rendered for him. It would have been a valuable addition.
Full review here >>http://bit.ly/3XPL1KV
P:344
“On the day of the (Ek Chatur naar) recording, I (Manna dey) was stumped by the proceedings. I was singing from the angle of a singer while Kishore had captured the spirit of the situation. From the heart, he changed the entire complexion of the song. I have thus no hesitation in admitting his genius.”
The only thing I felt missing in the book is a separate chapter on Amitabh Bachchanji and several chartbusters Kishoreji had rendered for him. It would have been a valuable addition.
Full review here >>http://bit.ly/3XPL1KV
February 9, 2023
Kishore da's camaraderie with....
Contrary to popular belief, the book perfectly describes Kishore da's camaraderie with Rafi Saab and Maana Dey ji. Similar to his working relationship with Pancham da, he jad equally and consistently maintained good relationships with various other music directors and composors that's mentioned and explained beautifullly in this book. The book is a good reference for a chiild born in the 80s and having listened to Kishore da's mesmerising songs.
Contrary to popular belief, the book perfectly describes Kishore da's camaraderie with Rafi Saab and Maana Dey ji. Similar to his working relationship with Pancham da, he jad equally and consistently maintained good relationships with various other music directors and composors that's mentioned and explained beautifullly in this book. The book is a good reference for a chiild born in the 80s and having listened to Kishore da's mesmerising songs.
October 2, 2025
An excellent biography—thoroughly researched and vividly written. It not only captures the extraordinary life of Kishore Kumar but also offers a compelling glimpse into the cinematic history of India.
Kishore Kumar was a phenomenon—multi-layered, spiritually inclined, and profoundly sentimental. The author does justice to his complex personality, unfolding each layer with sensitivity and insight.
Written in lucid, engaging language, the book is both inspiring and informative. It’s hard to put down once you start reading. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
Kishore Kumar was a phenomenon—multi-layered, spiritually inclined, and profoundly sentimental. The author does justice to his complex personality, unfolding each layer with sensitivity and insight.
Written in lucid, engaging language, the book is both inspiring and informative. It’s hard to put down once you start reading. I wholeheartedly recommend it.
February 22, 2023
A decade load of research blossoms into this 400 pages of enchantment! Giving out some of Kishore da a intrinsic little known glimpses of his personal life , his penchant for the art of music making and his comradie with fellow artists, actors and troupe of the Bollywood clan , this book is a delight if you are a fan of the old , vintage Bollywood charm
There are certain sections that reminisce the story behind on how a song was made , the banter and the bandish of its very essence which are a walk down the Black and whites of life .
A special mention of the song index in the end ❤️
There are certain sections that reminisce the story behind on how a song was made , the banter and the bandish of its very essence which are a walk down the Black and whites of life .
A special mention of the song index in the end ❤️
January 26, 2026
It has every possible piece of information about Kishore Kumar and is very well researched, but it still wasn’t one of the best biographies.
It isn’t written in an interesting manner and has a lot of unnecessary details, which made me lose interest after reading one-third of the book.
A celebrity biography doesn’t need to be a well-researched 500-page book; it should also be written beautifully. Some of my favourite biographies include those of Asha Parekh and Dilip Kumar.
It isn’t written in an interesting manner and has a lot of unnecessary details, which made me lose interest after reading one-third of the book.
A celebrity biography doesn’t need to be a well-researched 500-page book; it should also be written beautifully. Some of my favourite biographies include those of Asha Parekh and Dilip Kumar.
January 2, 2024
Legendary Kishore's biography
It is a must read book for those who love legendary singer Kishore Kumar. Language is very simple and style direct. I have come to know many unknown unheard facts and events of immortal singer.
It is a must read book for those who love legendary singer Kishore Kumar. Language is very simple and style direct. I have come to know many unknown unheard facts and events of immortal singer.
April 14, 2024
Offers a wide ranging perspective in the life of a genius, one of the greatest-evers based on anecdotes and milestones in a rich life. It has lifted his life to another strata in my eyes. My most favorite, the best ever, the one and only.. Kishore Kumar!
January 15, 2023
Overly detailed. Tough to follow at times.
August 3, 2024
Helped me understand my father a lot more. Would have loved to see him live with him.
December 11, 2024
Got to a know a lot about evolution of Indian Cinema and the impact this stalwart had on it. For A generation like ours it's indeed an ultimate Biography of Kishore Da.
January 13, 2025
The book very well written and with detailed account of Kishore Kumar lifestyle and the family.
As far as authors- A detailed account of his lifestyle and family.
As far as authors- A detailed account of his lifestyle and family.
December 20, 2023
Very well researched book! Comprehensive narration of the maestro’s personal and professional life. It was a joy to read about stories behind the melodies I grew up listening. If you are a Kishore Kumar fan (who is not!) you will love it!!
January 3, 2023
Extensive , exhaustive but sometimes felt little too bogged down with incidental details , specially when talking about the films in which KK acted. More anecdotes and trivia and background info related to his songs would have been more appreciated.
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